The New York City Fire Department or the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) has the responsibility of protecting the citizens and property of New York City's five boroughs from fires and fire hazards, providing emergency medical services, technical rescue as well as providing first response to biological, chemical and radioactive hazards. The department has its headquarters in 9 MetroTech Center, Downtown Brooklyn,^[3] and its training academy (The FDNY Fire Academy) on Randall's Island.^[4]

The FDNY, the largest municipal fire department in the United States, and the second largest in the world after the Tokyo Fire Department, has approximately 11,080 uniformed officers and firefighters and over 3,300 uniformed EMTs and paramedics. It faces an extraordinarily varied challenge. In addition to responding to building types that range from wood-frame single family homes to high-rise structures, there are the many bridges and tunnels, large parks and wooded areas that can give rise to major brush fires, and one of the largest subway systems in the world. These challenges add yet another level of firefighting complexity and have led to the creation of the motto for FDNY firefighters of New York’s Bravest.

Organization[link]

An FDNY deputy chief during rescue efforts at the World Trade Center following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Like most fire departments in the United States, the New York City Fire Department is organized in a paramilitary fashion.^[5] The department's executive staff is divided into two areas including a civilian fire commissioner who is in charge of the department and a fire chief who is the operational lead. The current fire commissioner is (former fire chief) Salvatore Cassano, who took over from Nicholas Scoppetta at the start of 2010. The executive staff includes the civilian fire commissioners who are responsible for bureaus within the Department, along with the Chief of Department, Chief of Fire Operations, Chief of EMS, the Chief Fire Marshal and the staff chiefs. Staff chiefs include the seven citywide tour commanders, the Chief of Safety, the Chief of Fire Prevention, and the Chief of Training.^[6]

Operationally and geographically, the department are nominally organized into five borough commands for the five traditional boroughs of New York. Within those Borough Commands exist nine divisions, each headed by a Deputy Chief. Within each division operate four to seven battalions, led by a Battalion Chief and typically consisting of 180–200 firefighters and officers. Each battalion consists of four to eight companies, with a company being led by a Captain. He commands three Lieutenants and 16–42 Firefighters. Last is the unit consisting of the members of the company on call during a given tour, consisting of a Lieutenant or a Captain plus a number of Firefighters depending on the type of unit: 3–4 Firefighters on an engine company, 5 on a ladder company, (also known as a truck company), 5 for a rescue company, 5 for a squad company, 4 for a marine company, and 6 for the hazardous materials company.

History[link]

1648–1865[link]

The origins of the New York City Fire Department trace back to 1648 when the first fire ordinance was adopted in what then was the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam. Hooks, ladders and buckets were financed through the collection of fines for dirty chimneys and a fire watch was established consisting of eight wardens which were drawn from the male population. An organization known as the prowlers but given the nickname the rattle watch patrolled the streets with buckets, ladders and hooks from nine in the evening until dawn looking for fires. Leather shoe buckets, 250 in all, were manufactured by local Dutch shoemakers in 1658, and these bucket brigades are regarded as the beginning of the New York Fire Department.^[7]

In 1664 New Amsterdam became a British settlement and was renamed New York.^[8] The first New York fire brigade entered service in 1731 equipped with two hand-drawn pumpers which had been transported from London, England. These two pumpers formed Engine Company 1 and Engine Company 2. These were the first fire engines to be used in the American colonies, and all able-bodied citizens were required to respond to a fire alarm and to participate in the extinguishing under the supervision of the Aldermen.^[9]

Mid 19th century Chief

The city's first firehouse was built in 1736 in front of City Hall on Broad Street. A year later, on December 16, 1737, the colony's General Assembly created the Volunteer Fire Department of the City of New York, appointing 30 men who would remain on call in exchange for exemption from jury and militia duty. The city's first official firemen were required to be "able, discreet, and sober men who shall be known as Firemen of the City of New York, to be ready for service by night and by day and be diligent, industrious and vigilant."^[9]

Although the 1737 Act created the basis of the fire department, the actual legal entity was incorporated in the State of New York on March 20, 1798 under the name of "Fire Department, City of New York."

1865–1898[link]

In 1865 the volunteer fire department was abolished by a state act which was passed to create the Metropolitan Fire District and the Metropolitan Fire Department (MFD). This effectively gave control of the fire departments in the cities of New York and Brooklyn to the Governor who appointed its Board of Commissioners. There was never any effective incorporation of the fire departments of the two cities during this period. It wasn't until the Greater City of New York was consolidated in 1898 that the two were combined under one structure and leadership.

The change met with a mixed reaction from the citizens, and some of the eliminated volunteers became bitter and resentful which resulted in both political battles and street fights. But the insurance companies in the city finally got their way by having the volunteers replaced with paid "professionals." The members of the paid fire department were mostly selected from the prior volunteers. All of the volunteer's apparatus, including their fire houses, were seized by the state who made use of them to form the new organization and form the basis of the FDNY as we know it today.

Original sheet celebrating the official formation of the Metropolitan Fire Department, 1866

The MFD lasted until 1870 when the Tweed Charter ended state control in the city. As a result, a new Board of Fire Commissioners was created and the original name of the Fire Department City of New York (FDNY) was re-instated.

Former headquarters of the Brooklyn Fire Department, near MetroTech Center, before its consolidation with NYC in 1898. Designed by architect Frank Freeman; built 1892.

Initially, the paid fire service only covered New York City (present day Manhattan), until the act of 1865 which united Brooklyn with New York to form the Metropolitan District. The same year the fire department consisted of 13 Chief Officers and 552 Company Officers and firemen. The officers and firemen worked a continuous tour of duty, with 3 hours a day off for meals and one day off a month, and were paid salaries according to their rank or grade. 1865 also saw the first adoption of regulations, although they were fairly strict and straitlaced.

Following several large fires in 1866 which resulted in excessive fire losses and a rise in insurance rates, the fire department was reorganized under the command of General Alexander Shaler, and with military discipline the paid department reached its full potential which resulted in a general reduction in fire losses. In 1870 the merit system of promotion in the Fire Department was established.

Southwestern Westchester County (which would later become the western Bronx) was annexed by New York in 1874 and the volunteers there were phased out and replaced by the paid department. This pattern was repeated as City services expanded elsewhere. There are ten volunteer fire companies left in New York City that respond to calls in their neighborhood in addition to a normal assignment of FDNY units. They are typically in more isolated neighborhoods of the city. By borough, the volunteer companies are:

• Bronx (2) – Edgewater Park Volunteer Hose Company No. 1, Aviation Volunteer Fire Department Association Inc.
• Brooklyn (1) – Gerritsen Beach Fire Volunteers Inc.
• Queens (5) – West Hamilton Beach VFD, Broad Channel VFD, Roxbury VFD, Rockaway Point VFD, and Point Breeze VFD
• Staten Island (2) – Oceanic H&L Company No. 1 and Richmond Engine Company No. 1

The Staten Island volunteer companies are dispatched by the Staten Island Communications Office and operate on the FDNY Staten Island frequency. Broad Channel and West Hamilton Beach have teleprinters in parallel with the FDNY fire companies that also serve their area. The Brooklyn and first four volunteer companies in Queens also provide ambulance services. Broad Channel VFD has over 102 years of active service.

1898–2001[link]

On January 1, 1898 the different areas of New York were consolidated, which ushered the Fire Department into a new era. All the fire forces in the various sections were brought under the unified command of the first Commissioner in the history of the Fire Department. This same year Richmond (now Staten Island) became a part of the City of New York, but the volunteer units there remained in place until they were gradually replaced by paid units in 1915, 1928, 1932 and 1937 when only two volunteer units remained.

Monument to the Heroes of the Fire Department

The unification of the Fire Department, which took place in 1898, would pave the way for many changes. In 1909 the Fire Department received its first piece of motorized fire apparatus. On March 25, 1911 a fire in the Triangle Shirtwaist Company killed 146 workers, most of whom where young female immigrants. Later the same year the fire college was formed to train new fire fighters, and in 1912 the Bureau of Fire Prevention was created.

In 1919 the Uniformed Firefighters Association was formed. Tower ladders and the Superpumper System were introduced in 1965. Major apparatus of the Superpumper System (the Superpumper and the Supertender) was phased out in 1982, in favor of the Maxi-Water Unit. But the 5 Satellite Units of the system, together with the Maxi-Water Unit (known as Satellite 6 since 1999) are still actively used as of 2007 for multiple alarm fires and certain other incidents. These are now called the Satellite Water System. Other technical advances included the introduction of high pressure water systems, the creation of a Marine fleet, adoption of vastly improved working conditions and the utilization of improved radio communications.

On November 23, 1965, incoming Mayor Lindsay announced the appointment of Robert O. Lowery as Fire Commissioner of the New York City Fire Department. His was the first commissioner level appointment announced by the Mayor-elect. Lowery, who was the first African American to serve as a Fire Commissioner of a major U.S. city, served in that position for more than 7 years until his resignation on September 29, 1973 in order to campaign for then-Controller Abraham D. Beame, the Democratic candidate for Mayor.^[10] In 1982 the first female firefighters joined the ranks of the Fire Department.

In 1984 and 1989, the comedy films Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II used the Manhattan Ladder Company 8 building for the externals of the Ghostbusters' office building. On March 17, 1996, Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani merged the emergency medical services of the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation into the FDNY.

September 11, 2001 attacks[link]

A New York City fire fighter looks up at what remains of the World Trade Center after its collapse during a Sept. 11 terrorist attack.

On September 11, 2001 terrorists associated with al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial passenger aircraft to be used to attack targets in New York and Washington, DC, in what came to be known as the September 11, 2001 attacks or 9/11. Two aircraft, American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, were flown by terrorists into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, causing massive damage and starting fires that eventually caused the weakened 110-story skyscrapers to collapse.^[11]

New York City fire companies and EMS crews were deployed to the World Trade Center minutes after the first aircraft struck the north tower. Chief officers set up a command center in the lobby as first arriving units entered the building and firefighters began climbing the stairs. A mobile command center was also set up outside on Vesey Street, but was destroyed when the buildings collapsed. A command post was then set up at a firehouse in Greenwich Village. The FDNY deployed 200 units to the site, with more than 400 firefighters, EMTs and paramedics on the scene when the buildings collapsed.^[12]

A New York City Deputy chief fire coordinates the recovery effort underway at the World Trade Center.

Many firefighters arrived at the World Trade Center without meeting at the command centers. Problems with radio communication caused commanders to lose contact with many of the firefighters who went into the buildings; those firefighters were unable to hear evacuation orders.^[13] There was practically no communication with the New York City Police Department, which had helicopters at the scene. When the towers collapsed, hundreds were killed or trapped within. 343 FDNY firefighters, EMTs and paramedics who responded to the attacks lost their lives. The casualties included First Deputy Commissioner William M. Feehan, Chief of Department Peter Ganci^[12] Department Chaplain Mychal Judge,^[14] and Battalion Chief Orio Palmer.^[15][16][17]

Meanwhile, average response times to fires elsewhere in the city that day only rose by one minute, to 5.5 minutes.^[18] Many of the surviving firefighters continued to work alternating 24-hour shifts as part of the rescue and recovery effort. Firefighters and EMS personnel came from hundreds of miles around New York City, including numerous career and volunteer units in Upstate New York, Long Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida and even Michigan.

2002–present[link]

In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks the Fire Department has rebuilt itself and continues to serve the people of New York. During the Northeast Blackout of 2003, FDNY was called on to rescue hundreds of people from stranded elevators in approximately 800 Manhattan high-rise office and apartment buildings. The entire fire department was held over from the day tour to almost double the total force to 3,401 firefighters to handle the many fires which resulted, reportedly from people using candles for light.^[19]

At the beginning of the 21st century, there are 11,400 uniformed fire officers and firefighters under the command of the Chief of Department. The New York City Fire Department also includes 2800 Emergency Medical Technicians, Paramedics and Supervisors assigned to Department's EMS Command, and 1200 civilian employees.^[7]

Salvatore Cassano is the current commissioner of the FDNY. He received this job from Mayor Michael Bloomberg (January 1, 2010). Mr. Cassano is the 34th FDNY Commissioner.

Ideology and core competencies[link]

Ladder 21 – "The Pride of Hell's Kitchen".

The FDNY derives its name from the Tweed Charter which created the Fire Department of the City of New York. This is in contrast to most other fire departments in the U.S. where the name of the city precedes the words fire department.^[20]

Ideology[link]

• The FDNY ideology of aggressive interior fire attack grew naturally out of the building and population density that characterize the city.^[21]
• The contribution of Irish Americans to the FDNY dates back to the formation of the paid fire department. During the Civil War New York's Irish firefighters were the backbone of the 11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment (New York Fire Zouaves), a highly decorated unit.^[22]
• Members of the FDNY have the nickname "New York's Bravest".^[1]
• Members of the FDNY EMS have the nickname "New York's Best".^[23]

An FDNY Haz-Tac Ambulance

• In addition to firefighting, rescue and HAZMAT, FDNY stations ambulances throughout the city and supplies paramedics and EMTs. Together with ambulances run by certain participating hospitals (locally known as voluntaries, not to be confused with Volunteers) and private companies, it is known as the FDNY EMS Command, which is the largest pre-hospital care provider in the world, responding to over 1.3 million calls each year. All of the FDNY EMS Command members are also trained to the HAZMAT Operations level. A select group of 35 EMS units (15 BLS & 20 ALS) are known as Hazardous Material Tactical Units (Haz-Tac Ambulances) whose members are trained to the level of Hazardous Materials Technician which allows them to provide emergency medical care and decontamination in a hazardous environment, in addition to their normal 911 duties. Of these 35 ambulances, ten are also Rescue Paramedic Ambulances whose crews are additionally trained for: Confined space rescue, Trench Rescue, Crush Injuries, and Building Collapse Rescues. The Rescue Medics operate with additional exclusive protocols and specialized medical equipment.^[24]

Firehose connection in Manhattan

Core competencies[link]

A citywide Incident Management System plan released by the Office of the Mayor on May 14, 2004 set forth several "core competencies" which determine which agency has the authority to direct operations.^[25] FDNY core competencies include:

• Fire suppression
• Pre-hospital emergency medical care
• Search and rescue
• Structural evacuation
• CBRNE/HAZMAT life safety and mass decontamination
• Cause and origin, and arson investigations
• Fire prevention inspections

Statistics[link]

Fire calls for 2006[link]

For the period January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2006 the FDNY dealt with the following number of calls:^[26]

• Structural fires: 27,817
• Non-structural fires: 20,702
• Non-fire emergencies: 198,202
• Medical emergencies: 209,397

There were 2,971 serious fires in 2006, defined as those declared 'all hands' or above in severity. Response times to incidents were roughly between two and a half, to six minutes from the time of call, depending on total activity and borough, with the quickest responses being in the Bronx, Manhattan and Brooklyn, and the slowest in Queens and Staten Island.

Fire calls for 2007[link]

For the period January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2007 the FDNY dealt with the following number of calls:^[27]

• Structural fires: 28,004
• Non-structural fires: 19,388
• Non-fire emergencies: 209,943
• Medical emergencies: 207,677

There were 3,143 serious fires in 2007, defined as those declared 'all hands' or above in severity.

Fire calls for 2008[link]

For the period January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2008 the FDNY dealt with the following number of calls:^[28]

• Structural fires: 26,862
• Non-structural fires: 17,192
• Non-fire emergencies: 191,926
• Medical emergencies: 211,776

There were 2,715 serious fires in 2008, defined as those declared 'all hands' or above in severity. Response times to incidents were roughly between four to five minutes from the time of call, depending on total activity and borough, with the quickest responses being in the Bronx, Manhattan and Brooklyn, and the slowest in Queens and Staten Island.

Fire calls for 2009[link]

For the period January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2009 the FDNY dealt with the following number of calls:

• Structural fires: 26,666
• Non-structural fires: 17,011
• Non-fire emergencies: 194,406
• Medical emergencies: 209,563

There were 2,485 serious fires in 2009, defined as those declared 'all hands' or above in severity.

Unit Activity CY 2009

Fire Calls for 2011[link]

For the period January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2011 the FDNY dealt with the following number of calls:^[29]

• Total incidents: 493,146
• Structural fires: 26,432
• Non-fire emergencies: 207,572
• Medical emergencies: 216,987

Unit Activity CY 2011

[1]

Bureau of Communications[link]

Radio station, Brooklyn

Fire Telegraph Station in Woodhaven, Queens

As of 2010 there are three Bureau of Fire Communications alarm offices. One office, at 11 Metrotech Center in Brooklyn, houses Manhattan/Citywide, Brooklyn, and Staten Island Fire Communications. The Bronx and Queens offices are in separate offices, and plans are in the works to consolidate them into an office to be built in the future.

The initial call to an FDNY communications office is taken by the Alarm Receipt Dispatcher (ARD) who speaks with the caller in order to determine the nature of the emergency. The ARD enters the information by keyboard into the Starfire computer system, which gives a recommended response based on the information provided. This information is automatically sent to the Decision Dispatcher (DD)and the "Tour Supervising Dispatcher".

When the Decision Dispatcher has made a decision as to what units will actually be assigned to the incident, unless the supervisor intervenes, he or she pushes the "release" button and the alarm is routed to the assigned companies, either in their firehouses or to the mobile data terminals (MDT) if their apparatus is in the field, depending on where the Starfire computer shows them to be situated. If a unit in a fire station does not acknowledge the run within 30 seconds, the computer will notify the voice alarm dispatcher who will call that unit in the station by the dedicated intercom system. One minute after the alarm is released, it will appear on the computer screen of the radio dispatcher, who will announce the alarm and the response two times and ask for acknowledgment from any units assigned who have not done so by radio, voice alarm or MDT. The radio dispatcher has a special keyboard called the Status Entry Panel "SEP" which he uses to update the status of units based on information he receives by radio.

The entire process from initial notification until a unit is dispatched can take up to two (2) minutes, depending on the complexity of the call, the information provided by the caller(s) and the degree of other alarm activity in the office. If a borough alarm office is so busy that its incoming telephone alarm lines are all busy or not answered within 30 seconds, the call is automatically transferred to another borough fire alarm office. If an ERS box is not answered with 60 seconds, usually because all of the Alarm receipt Consoles are in use, the computer automatically dispatches an engine company to the box location.

Any fire alarm office in NYC can take a fire or emergency call by telephone for any borough and upon completion of information taking, the incident will automatically be routed by the Starfire computer to the Decision Dispatcher (DD) for the borough in which the incident is reported.

Alarm Receiving and Transmittal[link]

There are five ways in which fires and emergencies can be reported to the New York City Fire Department:

1. Telephone Alarms: The most common method of contacting the Fire Department is one in which a civilian uses a telephone to dial one of three types of numbers. The first is 9-1-1, which is answered by N.Y.P.D. operators. The second is a special 7-digit telephone number which is published in each borough for the specific purpose of reporting fires. The third involves dialing "0" which routes the call to a telephone company operator who, then, transfers it to the fire alarm dispatchers in the proper F.D.N.Y. central office.
2. Alarm Boxes: The second most common method is by means of F.D.N.Y. fire alarm boxes located on the street and in certain public buildings such as schools and hospitals as well as along highways, on bridges, etc. These boxes primarily consist of two types. The first is the mechanical box (...also commonly called a pull-box or a telegraph box...) in which a spring-wound mechanism alternately opens and closes an electrical circuit, thereby rendering a coded number linked to the specific location of the box. Until the advent of the STARFIRE "Computer-Assisted Dispatch System" (C.A.D.S.), dispatchers had to audibly count the taps from mechanical boxes when they were received in the central offices. Today, a "Box Alarm Readout System" (B.A.R.S.) display handles that aspect of the job. The second type is the "Emergency Reporting System" (E.R.S.) box that is equipped with buttons to notify either the F.D.N.Y. or the N.Y.P.D., allowing either department's dispatcher to have direct voice communication with a reporting party. Beginning in the 1970s, E.R.S. boxes started to replace mechanical boxes in many areas of the City. In December 1994, then-Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and then-Fire Commissioner Howard Safir began a concerted effort to remove all of the mechanical and E.R.S. boxes throughout New York City in a cost-cutting move. Facing stiff opposition from members of the City Council, community groups, dispatchers and others, the move was blocked by court order as being discriminatory against the disabled [i.e., particularly the speech- and/or hearing-impaired] who – along with the poor – might otherwise have no dependable way to report fires and emergencies if the alarm boxes were eliminated. (In addition, unlike many other cities in the world, it was noted that 117 different languages and dialects are spoken by the residents of and visitors to the "Big Apple." Since, unlike telephones, a fire alarm box requires no verbal contact to indicate its exact location, a person would not have to be able to speak – at all – or to understand English in order to alert the F.D.N.Y. to a fire or emergency. For this reason, as well, the boxes were recognized as being vital to New Yorkers' safety.)
3. "Class 3" Alarms: Less common than the first two means of reporting fires are so-called "Class 3"s which are routed through commercial alarm companies. These firms monitor sprinkler systems, standpipes, smoke detectors and internal pull-stations in non-public occupancies such as factories, warehouses, stores and office buildings. When alarms are received from such accounts, these companies pass-along the information to the F.D.N.Y. central offices, usually by dedicated telephone circuits. (The term "Class 3" derives from the fact that the box number on such an assignment card would have a "3" preceding it as well as a "terminal" following it [e.g., "3-7012-4" would indicate a private alarm system in a commercial occupancy at a specific address in the immediate vicinity of Box 7012 on the corner of Review Avenue and Laurel Hill Boulevard in Queens]. In such cases, the type of alarm [e.g., sprinkler, smoke detector, interior pull-station, etc.] as well as an exact address – and, often, even a specific section of a building – would instantly be made available to responding units.)
4. Verbal Alarms: The least common means of reporting fires or emergencies generally involves civilians "verbally" making such reports directly to firehouses –or– when incidents are observed by fire units themselves when they are away from their quarters. (However, "verbal" alarms may also be reported by chief officers, Department officials [e.g., commissioners, medical officers, chaplains, et alii] or civilian employees of the F.D.N.Y. [e.g., communications electricians, mechanics and such – even the dispatchers themselves] who observe fires or emergencies in the course of the performance of their duties.) If a fire company is available, in quarters, it will immediately respond to the incident after advising the dispatchers of same via telephone, Voice Alarm or radio. If the unit is away from its firehouse [e.g., responding to or operating at another alarm, on inspection duty, etc.] at the time, the company will either stop at the new incident and operate, or the officer will request a separate assignment (...because the reporting unit is unavailable to operate). Based on the information received by the dispatchers, the appropriate action [e.g., transmitting a new box, etc.] is initiated in regard to the new incident.

When a member of the public dials "9-1-1," he or she is connected to an N.Y.P.D. operator who assigns the call to where it needs to go based on the information provided.

• If it is police related, the information is sent to an N.Y.P.D. radio dispatcher for the precinct or special unit concerned.
• If it is on a bridge or in tunnel connected to New Jersey or at Kennedy or LaGuardia Airport, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is also notified.
• If it is a fire, haz-mat or rescue incident, the 9-1-1 operator transfers the call by dedicated phone line to the appropriate F.D.N.Y. central office. (Depending on the type of incident, the N.Y.P.D. may notify its own Emergency Services Unit[s] to respond instead of or along with the Fire Department.)

Fire alarm dispatchers handle comparatively few medical calls made directly to them, since the vast majority of such incidents are routed straight to the F.D.N.Y.'s E.M.S. communications office by the N.Y.P.D. 9-1-1 operators. However, a medical call that requires the assistance of "first-responder"-trained fire unit[s] will have said request routed electronically to the appropriate fire alarm central office for the assignment of the proper personnel and apparatus.

Box Numbers[link]

Each address in the city is assigned a box number, based on the closest street, special building or highway box. This gives the companies en route cross streets for the alarm. Box numbers can be duplicated in different boroughs, which is why they are always identified by borough name or numerical prefix on the computer (66 for Bronx and Manhattan, 77 for Brooklyn, 88 for Staten Island and 99 for Queens). If there is also a street address given to the dispatchers, the responding apparatus will get this information in the firehouse, over the air, and via their mobile data terminals in the rigs. At present there are about 16,000 physical street boxes in New York City, with many additional special building boxes and highway boxes, as well as "dummy boxes" used for special response assignments. In addition there are two airport crash boxes, one in the LaGuardia Tower, (Queens Box 37), and one in the JFK Tower, (Queens Box 269), which can only be activated by the personnel in these towers. When either box is sounded it brings an automatic second alarm (2–2) response of equipment, along with various special units.

Critical Information Dispatch System[link]

CIDS stands for Critical Information Dispatch System, and is pronounced by the dispatcher as "Sids." CIDS information which is transmitted to units in the firehouse and en route is information that is collected on a building during inspections and by public input, which would have an impact on fire-fighting operations. Such things as:

• warehoused apartments,
• type and length of line stretch (or hose),
• number of apartments per floor,
• unsafe conditions, standpipe conditions, and
• anything else the Bureau of Fire Communications or the FDNY Staff Chiefs deem important

This information is printed on the fire ticket and can be read by the dispatcher if requested. This information is also read automatically when a signal 10–75 (working fire) or higher signal is given or when the supervising dispatcher deems it is important for the units to have it before arrival at an incident.

Radio Bell Code Signals[link]

The New York City Fire Department utilizes a series of Radio Bell Code Signals and 10-Code Signals to transmit and relay information during general department operations and during emergency situations. Below is a listing of Radio Bell Code Signals and commonly used 10-Code Signals utilized by the FDNY on a daily basis.

10-Code Signals[link]

Click on the link to view the 52 10-Codes used by the FDNY: 10-Codes.

A Signal 10–75 is transmitted by the first arriving fire company for a working fire or other incident where it appears that the assigned companies will likely all be put to work at a fire or other emergency. Contrary to common belief, a 10–75 can be transmitted where the emergency is non-fire related but appears to require a full first alarm assignment. When a 10–75 is given, a Rescue Company and a Squad Company are automatically assigned, unless they have already been assigned on the box. In addition, a third and fourth engine company as well as a second truck company and a F.A.S.T. truck (ladder company) are assigned, along with an additional battalion chief. Notification is made to the deputy (division) chief for the district, and he almost always asks for a fire ticket and starts his response.

When all companies are put to work at an incident, the Signal 7-5 is transmitted over the Starfire computer system, but on the radio the listener will simply hear the terms "All Hands" or "All Companies at Work (or Working)." If the "All Hands" is in a subway or railroad facility, or any other location where communications might be difficult, a Field Communications Unit is sent. A Deputy Chief is mandatorily assigned on transmission of the Signal 7-5, but he almost always has responded on the 10–75 signal.

Special calls for additional units above a Signal 7-5 are by number and type of unit. A Dispatcher's greater alarm, formerly used to fill out special call requests during busy periods of fire activity, has been eliminated from dispatch procedures.

Higher alarms bring additional ladders, engines and special equipment, depending on location and type of incident. Greater alarms are a Second (Signal 2-2), a Third (3–3), a Fourth (4–4), and a Fifth (5–5). Technically there are no alarms greater than a Fifth Alarm and no computer signals exist for them. If a chief asks for a sixth or higher alarm, it has to be written out as such in the computer and companies are assigned by the Supervising Dispatcher of the Tour. Borough calls and simultaneous calls, previously used for incidents that required more than a five alarm assignment, have been eliminated from dispatch procedures.

There are also certain special signals given for unique incidents. Several of them include:

Any or all of these signals: 10–76, 10–77, 10–60, 10–66 and 10–80, can be used in conjunction with a 10–75, a 7–5("All Hands") or a greater alarm, depending on circumstances. For example, at the aforementioned Deutsche Bank Building Fatal Fire in 2007, seven alarms were struck in addition to the use of the 10–76, 10–66 and 10–80 signals. The 2007 Manhattan Steampipe explosion utilized six alarms, plus the 10–60 and 10–80 signals. If a 10–66 is transmitted as the result of a collapse, a 10–60 must also be transmitted; this will result in the next 2 higher alarms being transmitted, (1 addtl alarm for each signal).

Response Guidelines[link]

Structure Fires[link]

• Signal 5-7(Activated Fire Alarm(AFA)) Assignment(Minimum):
  • 1 Engine
  • 1 Ladder
• Automatic/Activated Fire Alarm(AFA) Assignment(Maximum):
  • 2 Engines
  • 1 Ladder
  • 1 Battalion
• 1st/Box Alarm Assignment(Minimum):
  • 2 Engines
  • 1 Ladder
  • 1 Battalion
• 1st/Box Alarm Assignment:
  • 2 Engines
  • 2 Ladders
  • 1 Battalion
• 1st/Box Alarm Assignment(Standard):
  • 3 Engines
  • 2 Ladders
  • 1 Battalion
• Signal 10–75(Working Fire) Assignment(Upgrade):
  • 1 Engine
  • 1 Ladder(F.A.S.T.)
  • 1 Squad
  • 1 Rescue
  • 1 Battalion
  • 1 Division
• Signal 7-5(All-Hands) Assignment(Specially-Called Assignment if needed):
  • 1 Engine
  • 1 Ladder
  • 1 Recuperation and Care(R.A.C.) Unit
• Signal 10–76(High-Rise Office/Hotel Fire) Assignment(Upgrade):
  • 3 Engines(1 for High-Rise Nozzle, 1 for C.F.R.D., 1 for High-Rise Unit)
  • 2 Ladders
  • 1 Squad(If not already assigned)
  • 1 Rescue(If not already assigned)
  • 3 Battalions(1 for Safety)
  • Safety Battalion
  • Rescue Battalion
  • 1 High-Rise Unit
  • 1 Tactical Support Unit(T.S.U.)
  • 1 Recuperation and Care(R.A.C.) Unit(If not already assigned)
  • 1 Mask Service Unit(M.S.U.)
  • 1 Field Comm. Unit
• Signal 10–77(High-Rise Dwelling Fire) Assignment(Upgrade):
  • 3 Engines(1 for High-Rise Nozzle, 1 for C.F.R.D., 1 for High-Rise Unit)
  • 2 Ladders
  • 1 Squad(If not already assigned)
  • 1 Rescue(If not already assigned)
  • 2 Battalions(1 for Safety)
  • Safety Battalion
  • Rescue Battalion
  • 1 High-Rise Unit
  • 1 Recuperation and Care(R.A.C.) Unit(If not already assigned)
  • 1 Field Comm. Unit
• Signal 2-2(2nd Alarm) Assignment(Upgrade):
  • 5 Engines(1 w/Satellite Unit)
  • 2 Ladders
  • 2 Battalions(1 for Safety if not already assigned, 1 for Resource Unit Leader)
  • 1 Satellite Unit
  • Safety Battalion(If not already assigned)
  • Rescue Battalion(If not already assigned)
  • 1 Tactical Support Unit(T.S.U.)(If not alread assigned)
  • 1 Field Comm. Unit(If not already assigned)
• Signal 3-3(3rd Alarm) Assignment(Upgrade):
  • 4 Engines
  • 2 Ladders
  • 3 Battalions(1 for Staging, 1 for Air Recon.)
  • 1 Mask Service Unit(M.S.U.)(If not already assigned)
• Signal 4-4(4th Alarm) Assignment(Upgrade):
  • 4 Engines
  • 2 Ladders
  • 1 Battalion(Planning)
• Signal 5–5(5th Alarm) Assignment(Upgrade):
  • 4 Engines
  • 2 Ladders
  • 1 Assistant Chief(Boro Commander)(If not already assigned)
  • Chief of Operations
• 6th-12th Alarm/Higher Alarm Assignments:
  • 4 Engines per alarm
  • 2 Ladders per alarm

Rescue Incidents[link]

• Motor Vehicle Accident(MVA) Assignment:
  • 1 Engine
  • 1 Ladder
  • 1 Battalion
  • Rescue or Squad
• Confined-Space Rescue Assignment:
  • 3 Engines
  • 3 Ladders(1 S.O.C. Support Ladder)
  • 1 Squad
  • 2 Rescues
  • 1 Battalion
  • Safety Battalion
  • Rescue Battalion
  • Haz-Mat. Battalion
  • 1 Haz-Mat. Unit
  • 1 T.S.U.
  • 1 Field Comm. Unit
  • 1 S.O.C. Rebreather Unit
  • 1 EMS Rescue Medic Unit
  • 1 Haz Tac Officer Unit
  • 1 Response Physician (5M)

Minor Fires/Special Incidents[link]

• Vehicle Fire Assignment:
  • 1 Engine
  • 1 Ladder
• Brush/Rubbish/Outside Fire Assignment:
  • 1 Engine
• Downed Wires Assignment:
  • 1 Engine
• Downed Trees/Fallen Debris Assignment:
  • 1 Ladder
• Lock-In/Out Assignment:
  • 1 Ladder
• Water Leak Assignment:
  • 1 Ladder
• Stuck Elevator Assignment:
  • 1 Ladder

EMS Emergencies[link]

• EMS First Responder Assignment:
  • 1 Engine

Bureau of EMS[link]

Calls to 911 for emergency medical services (EMS) in New York City are dispatched by the New York City Fire Department's Emergency Medical Dispatch under its Communications Bureau.

Ambulances are staffed by uniformed service EMTs and paramedics of the FDNY or civilian EMTs and paramedics working for non-profit, 'voluntary' hospitals. It is the largest public, non-profit ambulance partnership in the world.^[30]

Prior to March 17, 1996, municipal ambulances were operated by NYC EMS under the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation a public benefit corporation, which dispatched both its own ambulances and hospital ambulances. After that date, NYC EMS was merged with the FDNY and became the Bureau of EMS. As of 2010^[update] it is referred to as the FDNY-EMS Command and is an operational unit of the FDNY which operates under the Chief of EMS, who in turn reports to the Chief of Department.

FDNY-EMS respond to more than 1.2 million medical emergencies per year, or 3300 per day.^[30] Although EMS in New York City is controlled and dispatched by the Fire Department, approximately 30% of the ambulances in the system are operated by the non-profit hospitals in New York City, the majority of these being in Manhattan and Queens. These hospitals have historically provided emergency ambulances for over 125 years, with some now subcontracting actual ambulance operations to private ambulance providers.^[31] New York City also has a number of neighborhood volunteer ambulance corps that respond to emergency calls, primarily in the outer boroughs.

The New York City prehospital care system consists of three distinct levels: First responder engine companies, staffed by firefighters trained as certified first responders (CFRs) providing first aid, CPR, and defibrillation; basic life support (BLS) ambulances, whose two EMTs provide first aid, defibrillation, and limited medication administration; and advanced life support (ALS) ambulances, whose two paramedics provide prehospital critical care, including patient assessment, 12-lead electrocardiography, pulse oximetry, defibrillation, cardioversion, cardiac pacing, endotracheal intubation and other advanced airway procedures; intravenous (IV), interosseous (IO), intramuscular (IM), oral (PO) and respiratory therapy, with over 40 medications both under standing medical orders and in consultation with a medical control physician. Each area of response is divided into overlapping grids, with the closest FDNY first responder engine company dispatched to life-threatening emergencies, along with both a BLS and ALS level ambulance as necessary.^[32]

Some EMTs and paramedics have been trained as Hazardous Materials Technicians and function to provide patient care while wearing Chemical Protective Clothing in the 'Hot Zone' at HazMat incidents. Recently, all of FDNY-EMS's EMTs and paramedics have been trained to the Hazardous Materials Operations level in order to operate in the 'Warm Zone' of HazMat incidents. Some of the HazMat trained paramedics have been trained at the FDNY Fire Academy as 'Rescue Medics' in order to be able to provide patient care in both high-rise rescue and confined space situations.^[33]

While EMTs and paramedics work well professionally with the firefighters of New York City, there have been occasional "culture clashes" between EMS and Fire, for instance, a plan in 2006 to move ambulances into a firehouse in Queens drew an outcry from both the unions of the firefighters and EMS workers and was ultimately scrapped by the city.^[34] This is due to several factors, the relative little attention paid to the sacrifices and achievements of EMS workers by the public in relation to that paid to firefighters, as well as the separate mindset that each respective job entails; firefighters must operate as a team and strictly and swiftly execute the orders they are given by their officers to achieve their goals, while EMT and paramedic crews are expected to act independently and usually without direct supervision by their EMT and paramedic officers or medical control physicians, in most cases, due to the nature of the job.^{[citation needed]}

Apparatus[link]

FDNY Engine 6, a Seagrave pumper which replaced the older apparatus which was destroyed on 9/11/2001. The names of the four Engine 6 firefighters lost that day are written on the front door.

In recent years, FDNY has used several fire apparatus manufacturers nearly exclusively. Beginning in the late 1970s, Mack and American LaFrance made most of the pumpers and ladder trucks in the FDNY fleet. In the late 1980s, Mack made only chassis and not apparatus bodies, so Ward was used for truck bodies. Often Mack would work with Baker Aerialscope to create its tower ladders. Mack left the fire apparatus business in the early 1990s and FDNY turned to Seagrave to develop its next generation of fire truck. FDNY's very specific specifications meant that few apparatus manufacturers could compete with Seagrave for the contract.

Most of the engines in FDNY's fleet are Seagrave Commander II's and Seagrave Marauder II's and include 500 gallon water tanks and either 1000 or 2000 gallon per minute pumps. The 2000gpm pumps are primarily located in the high-rise districts and are considered high pressure pumpers. With the loss of apparatus which occurred as a result of the September 11 attacks, FDNY began to use engines made by other companies including Ferrara and E-One. The FDNY is making the move from a fixed cab to a "Split-Tilt" cab, so the Seagrave Marauder II Pumper will fill the FDNY's new order for 69 new pumpers.

Truck companies are generally equipped with Seagrave aerials. Ladder length varies and often depends on the geographic area to which the unit is assigned. Those in the older sections of the city often use tiller trucks to allow for greater maneuverability. Before Seagrave was the predominant builder, Mack CF's built with Baker tower ladders were popular. Most FDNY aerials are built with 75’, 95' or 100' ladders. Tiller ladders, rear mount ladders and mid-mount tower ladders are the types of trucks used. In 2010, a new contract was issued for 10–100' rear-mount ladder trucks to Ferrara Fire Apparatus, using a chassis and stainless steel cab custom-designed to FDNY specifications. Delivery of the first of these new trucks is anticipated in the 1st quarter of 2011.

Specialty units[link]

ex Rescue 1 (06 Pierce Arrow XT)

For specialty units, FDNY uses a variety of manufacturers. Its current heavy rescues, often called a 'toolbox on wheels' where built by Ferrara Manufacturing. In 2010, a new contract was issued for five new rescue trucks, using a chassis and stainless steel cab custom-designed to FDNY specifications. As of January 2012, the new Ferrara Rescues 2-4 are in service. New Rescue 1 is now in service, while the new Rescue 5 was, until it began experiencing mechanical problems. All issues should be resolved soon. Other specialty units, including hazardous material units, collapse trucks, and reserve rescues are made by American LaFrance, Pierce, E-One, Freightliner, and Ferrara (HAZMAT 1). Various body types include standard heavy rescue bodies, step vans, busses and smaller units built on GMC and Ford pick up truck bodies.

FDNY battalion and division chiefs as well as EMS supervisors operate with Ford Excursions which are soon to start being replaced by GMC pick-up trucks with caps and roll out trays in the bed.^[35] EMS division chiefs use Crown Victorias.

The ambulances used by FDNY EMS are usually manufactured by Horton Ambulance, and the modules are generally mounted on Ford F-350 light truck chassis. When NYC EMS merged with the FDNY in 1996, the ambulances had their orange stripe replaced with a red, and they were manufactured by Wheeled Coach, again on Ford F-350 chassis. Some of the older ambulances were built by Southern Ambulance Builders, and mounted on Chevrolet 3500 chassis

Fireboats[link]

In addition to its engine, truck, and rescue companies, FDNY operates three fireboats as Marine Companies:

• Marine 1 – Three Forty Three
• Marine 6 – Kevin C. Kane
• Marine 9 – Fire Fighter II
• Reserve – Governor Alfred E. Smith

A former FDNY Marine Unit, the John J. Harvey, is notable as having returned to active service as Marine 2 on September 11, 2001 and providing firefighting services for 80 hours following the attack.^[36]

In 2010, the newly built fireboat Three Forty Three replaced the John D. McKean, which entered service in 1954, as Marine 1. A twin vessel, Fire Fighter II, replaced Fire Fighter, dedicated in 1938, as Marine 9.^[37]

Types of Apparatus[link]

• Engine is the basic firefighting apparatus. Its main job is to put water on the fire. It is responsible for securing a water supply from a hydrant or some other form and for suppressing the fire.
• Ladder (also called a Truck): The FDNY operates three types—the 100' Rear Mounted Aerial Ladder, Tractor Drawn Aerial Ladder, and the Tower Ladder. FDNY operates 75' and 95' Tower ladder models. These are the ladders where a bucket is mounted on the end of a ladder for firefighters to stand in.
• Squad is a company that responds as a rescue engine, making it the most versatile company the FDNY offers. Members are trained in every aspect of firefighting, specialty rescue and hazardous material mitigation, with exception of SCUBA where their role is to support the Rescue company. The members of a Squad company receive a 12% hazardous material specialty pay.
• Rescue is considered the most elite company within the FDNY community. Its main responsibilities include search and rescue, special rescues, technical rescues, confined space rescues, and high angle rescues and SCUBA. Also trained as Hazardous Material Technicians, the members of a rescue company are included in an extra 12% specialty pay.
• Battalion is a command vehicle tasked with the responsibility of delivering a Battalion Chief to the fire scene. Once on the fire scene, the vehicle then takes on the role of a Command Vehicle, utilizing its radios and MDT equipment.
• Division is a command vehicle tasked with the responsibility of delivering a Division (Deputy) Chief to the fire scene. Once on the fire scene, the vehicle then takes on the role of a Command Vehicle, utilizing its radios and MDT equipment.
• Marine or Fireboat is a specialized boat outfitted specifically for firefighting capabilities. Its responsibilities include suppression of all fires that occur on water, such as boat fires, pier fires, etc. A Marine Unit also assists land based companies with securing a water supply, as they have the ability to "draft" water from the rivers they operate in.
• Haz-Mat vehicle is a vehicle that has been outfitted with special equipment to allow for the confinement, containment, suppression, and/or any other problem involving hazardous materials. Members of the Haz-Mat company are paid an extra 12% in specialty pay.
• Mask Service Unit is a vehicle that is equipped with an SCBA replenishing system. In other words, these vehicles have the ability to re-fill the air bottles used by firefighters to breathe in a fire.
• RAC or Recuperation And Care vehicle is specially outfitted with equipment that will enable it to provide rehabilitation to firefighters on a fireground.
• Field Communications Unit is a vehicle that is specially equipped with communication equipment such as telephones, broadband internet, and mobile radios. Its main responsibility is to provide communication support to the on scene Incident Commander.
• Tactical Support Unit (or TSU) is a 4x4 vehicle equipped with generators and a variety of high intensity lights to aid firefighters during low light conditions. In addition, specialized equipment such as extrication tools and a six person Avon boat is also carried.
• Thawing Unit The Thawing Units are vehicles that carry a portable steam-generating boiler; its super-heated steam melts the ice off of hoses, ladders and vehicles.
• Brush Fire Unit is a four-wheel-drive, all-terrain vehicle used to reach hilly, remote and marshy areas to extinguish fires involving weeds, grass and other vegetation. Along with regular firefighting equipment, it carries its own water, as well as rakes, shovels, and backpack extinguishers.
• Ambulance The New York City Fire Department staffs EMT-Basic and Paramedic Ambulances to provide emergency medical services to the city of New York. These are commonly referred to by the slang term bus.
• Haz-Tac Ambulance 35 EMS units, known as the Hazardous Material Tactical Units (Haz-Tac Ambulances), are trained to the Haz Mat Technician level allowing them to provide emergency medical care and decontamination in a hazardous environment, in addition to their normal 911 duties.
• Rescue Medic is an ALS, or Paramedic ambulance that are trained to the Haz Mat Technician level and also trained as Rescue Technicians, the members of a rescue medic units are included in an extra 12% specialty pay.
• EMS Conditions Unit is a vehicle that is assigned to an Emergency Medical Service supervisor. An Emergency Medical Service supervisor oversees ambulances within his or her assigned area.

MERV-1

• EMS MERV is a vehicle that is assigned to all major medical emergencies within its borough. The Major Emergency Response Vehicle is capable of treating multiple patients at a time.
• EMS LSU is a vehicle assigned to all medical emergencies that have multiple patients. The Logistical Support Unit carries a surplus of certain medical supplies used at MCI's, this unit is also responsible for going to retrieve spinal immobilization equipment from area hospitals.

Union representation[link]

The Department's lieutenants, captains, battalion chiefs, deputy chiefs, medical officers and supervising fire marshals are represented by the Uniformed Fire Officers Association (UFOA), while regular firefighters and fire marshals are represented by the Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA), both of which are locals of the International Association of Fire Fighters.^[38] Fire Alarm Dispatchers are represented by the Fire Alarm Dispatchers Benevolent Association. EMTs, paramedics and fire protection inspectors are represented by the Uniformed EMTs & Paramedics and EMS officers are represented by the Uniform EMS Officers Union, both of which are locals of District Council 37.^[39]

FDNY in Literature[link]

The Fire Department of New York has appeared a number of times within literature. "Report from Engine Co. 82" and "The Last Men Out: Life on the Edge at Rescue 2 Firehouse" are two of the most famous pieces of FDNY literature.^[40][41] In addition to memorials, the FDNY has produced a number of educational materials. One of these books is the 177 page "Fire Department of New York- Forcible Entry Reference Guide- Techniques and Procedures"^[42]

FDNY in film and television[link]

The New York City Fire Department has appeared in numerous films and television shows in recent years. One of the earliest was the 1972 documentary Man Alive: The Bronx is Burning, for BBC Television. It was screened in the United Kingdom on September 27, 1972 and followed firefighters from a fire house in the South Bronx: Battalion 27, Ladder 31 and Engine 82. It chronicled the appalling conditions the firefighters worked in with roughly one emergency call per hour, and the high rates of arson and malicious calls.^[43]

The documentary focused heavily on firefighter Dennis Smith who served in the South Bronx area and went on to write Report from Engine Co. 82 and a number of other books. He has become a prominent speaker on firefighting policy.^[44]

In 1991, brothers Brian Hickey, a New York City firefighter and his brother Raymond produced a documentary entitled Firefighters: Brothers in Battle.^[45] The film features footage of fires and rescues throughout the five boroughs of New York City, including the infamous Happy Land Social Club fire which killed 87 persons, dramatic rescues from a crashed airplane off of La Guardia Airport, and footage and interviews at Medal Day 1991. Unfortunately, Raymond died of cancer in 1993 and Brian was killed on September 11, 2001 while operating at the World Trade Center.^[46] Brian last served as Captain of Rescue Company 4 in Queens.

The 2002 documentary film 9/11 features the September 11, 2001 attacks from the perspective of two amateur film makers and the members of first responders, Engine 7/Ladder 1 and Battalion 1 on Duane street in Lower Manhattan.^[47] Two other documentaries include the 2005 film Brotherhood: Life in the FDNY, which focuses on Squad 252 in Brooklyn, Rescue 1 in Manhattan and Rescue 4 in Queens. Television series about FDNY have included Rescue Me, which ran from 2004 to 2011 and depicted the fictional life of firefighters in an FDNY firehouse.^[48] The NBC drama Third Watch ran from 1999 to 2005 and provided a fictionalized and dramatized depiction of the firefighters and paramedics of the FDNY and police officers of the New York City Police Department.

Ranks of the FDNY[link]

Title	Insignia (shirt collar)	Insignia (dress jacket)
Chief of Department	(stars should be GOLD)	5 Gold Bugles / 5 arm sleeve bands
Chief of Fire Operations / Chief of EMS Operations		4 Gold Bugles / 4 arm sleeve bands
Assistant Chief / EMS Assistant Chief		4 Gold Bugles / 4 arm sleeve bands
Deputy Assistant Chief		3 Gold Bugles / 3 arm sleeve bands
Division Chief / EMS Division Chief		3 Gold Bugles / 2 arm sleeve bands
Deputy Division Chief / EMS Deputy Division Chief (Deputy to Division Chief or citywide EMS shift supervisor)		3 Gold Bugles / 2 arm sleeve bands
Battalion Chief		2 Gold Crossed Bugles / 1 arm sleeve band
Captain (Company Commanding Officer, and commanding officer of the firehouse if assigned to an Engine company) / EMS Captain (EMS Station commanding officer or EMS Division shift supervisor)		2 Silver Parallel Bugles / 2 arm sleeve bands
Lieutenant (Company Officer) / EMS Lieutenant (shift supervisor, desk or conditions)		1 Silver Bugle / 1 arm sleeve band
Firefighter (5th through 1st Class, one class being achieved for each year of service after probation up to five years) / EMT / Paramedic
Probationary Firefighter (often referred to as "Probie", as slang for rookie) / Provisional EMT / Provisional Paramedic

See also[link]

	New York City portal
	Fire portal

• Collapse of the World Trade Center
• Communication during the September 11, 2001 attacks
• New York City Fire Commissioner
• New York Fire Patrol
• Great Fire of New York (1776)
• Great Fire of New York (1835)
• Rossville Fire of 1963
• Rescue and recovery effort after the September 11, 2001 attacks

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Boucher, Micheal L.; Urbanowicz, Gary R.; Melhan, Fred B., Jr. (2006). The Last Alarm: The History and Tradition of Supreme Sacrifice in the Fire Departments of New York M. T. Publishing, Inc., Evansville, Indiana
• Costello, Augustine E. (1887). Our Firemen: A History of the New York Fire Departments, Volunteer and Paid. New York, New York: Costello
• Daly, Charles P. (1871). On the Origin and History of the New York Fire Department. New York, New York: Unknown
• Dunshee, Kenneth H. (1939). Enjine!~Enjine! Harold Vincent Smith for the Home Insurance Company, New York, New York
• Dunshee, Kenneth H. (1952) As You Pass By Hastings House Publishers, New York, New York
• FDNY Vital Statistics, FY 2008
• Griffiths, John L. (2007). Fire Department of New York – an Operational Reference. New York, New York: Griffiths.
• Urbanowicz, Gary R. (2002). Badges of the Bravest: A Pictorial History of Fire Departments in New York City. Turner Publishing, Paducah, KY
• www.n2nov.net

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: New York City Fire Department

Wikisource has original text related to this article: New York City Fire Department

Official websites

• FDNY official website
• McKinsey and Co. Report on 9/11 Response

Other websites

• Listen to live FDNY dispatch
• FDNY: How it got its name
• FDNY Apparatus Pictures
• FDNY Fire Alarm Dispatching
• FDNY Photos
• Uniformed Firefighters Association
• FDNY Engine 10 and Ladder 10
• NYFD member died 1933
• FDNY objects in the Online Collections Database, Staten Island Historical Society
• Medal and Award Donors

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Robert De Niro
De Niro at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival premiere of The Bang Bang Club
Born	(1943-08-17) August 17, 1943 (age 68) New York City, New York, U.S.
Residence	TriBeCa, Lower Manhattan
Nationality	American
Citizenship	United States and Italy
Education	High School of Music Art
Alma mater	Stella Adler Studio of Acting
Occupation	Actor, director and producer
Years active	1959–present
Home town	Manhattan, New York
Spouse	Diahnne Abbott (m. 1976–1988) «start: (1976)–end+1: (1989)»"Marriage: Diahnne Abbott to Robert De Niro" Location: (linkback:http://en-wiki.pop.wn.com/index.php/Robert_De_Niro) Grace Hightower (m. 1997) «start: (1997)»"Marriage: Grace Hightower to Robert De Niro" Location: (linkback:http://en-wiki.pop.wn.com/index.php/Robert_De_Niro)
Children	6 (including Drena De Niro)
Parents	Robert De Niro, Sr. Virginia Admiral

Robert De Niro (pronounced /dəˈnɪəroʊ/; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973. In 1974, he played the young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II, a role that won him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

His critically acclaimed, longtime collaborations with Martin Scorsese began with 1973's Mean Streets, and earned De Niro an Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Jake LaMotta in the 1980 film Raging Bull. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for his roles in Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976) and Cape Fear (1991). In addition, he received nominations for his acting in Michael Cimino's The Deer Hunter (1978) and Penny Marshall's Awakenings (1990). Also in 1990, his portrayal as Jimmy Conway in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas earned him a BAFTA nomination.^[1]

He has earned four nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy: New York, New York (1977), Midnight Run (1988), Analyze This (1999) and Meet the Parents (2000). De Niro directed A Bronx Tale (1993) and The Good Shepherd (2006). He has received accolades for his esteemed career, including the AFI Life Achievement Award and the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award.

Early life[link]

Robert De Niro was born in Greenwich Village,^[2] New York City, New York, the son of Virginia Holton Admiral, a painter and poet, and Robert De Niro, Sr., an abstract expressionist painter and sculptor.^[3] His father was of Italian and Irish descent, and his mother was of English, German, French, and Dutch ancestry.^[4][5] His Italian great-grandparents, Giovanni De Niro and Angelina Mercurio, emigrated from Ferrazzano, in the province of Campobasso, Molise, and his paternal grandmother, Helen O'Reilly, was the granddaughter of Edward O'Reilly, an immigrant from Ireland.

De Niro's parents, who had met at the painting classes of Hans Hofmann in Provincetown (Cape Cod), Massachusetts, divorced when he was three years old. De Niro was raised by his mother in the Little Italy neighborhood of Manhattan, and in Greenwich Village. His father lived within walking distance and Robert spent much time with him as he was growing up.^[6] De Niro attended PS 41, a public elementary school in Manhattan, through the sixth grade, and then went to the private Elisabeth Irwin High School, the upper school of the Little Red School House, for the seventh and eighth grades.^[7] He was accepted at the High School of Music and Art for the ninth grade, but only attended for a short time, transferring instead to a public junior high school.^[8] He began high school at the private McBurney School,^[9] attended the private Rhodes Preparatory School,^[10] but never graduated.^[11] Nicknamed "Bobby Milk" for his pallor, the youthful De Niro hung out with a group of street kids in Little Italy, some of whom have remained lifelong friends of his.^[12] But the direction of his future had already been determined by his stage debut at age ten, playing the Cowardly Lion in his school's production of The Wizard of Oz.^[2][13] Along with finding relief from shyness through performing, De Niro was also entranced by the movies, and he dropped out of high school at age sixteen to pursue acting.^[12] De Niro studied acting at the Stella Adler Conservatory, as well as Lee Strasberg's Actors Studio.^[11]

Career[link]

Acting[link]

De Niro's first movie role, in collaboration with Brian De Palma, was in 1963, at the age of 20, when he appeared opposite his friend Jill Clayburgh in The Wedding Party; however, the film was not released until 1969. He then played in Roger Corman's 1970 Bloody Mama, which starred Shelly Winters as Ma Barker. He gained popular attention with his role as a dying Major League Baseball player in Bang the Drum Slowly (1973).^[2] That same year, he began his collaboration with Martin Scorsese, when he played the smalltime crook Johnny Boy, alongside Harvey Keitel's Charlie, in Mean Streets (1973).^[2]

De Niro at the Cannes Film Festival, 2011

In 1974, De Niro had a pivotal role in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather Part II, playing the young Vito Corleone – the director having remembered his previous auditions for the roles of Sonny Corleone, Michael Corleone, Carlo Rizzi and Paulie Gatto, in The Godfather. His performance earned him his first Academy Award, for Best Supporting Actor,^[2] although Coppola accepted the award, as De Niro was not present at the Oscar ceremony. He became the first actor to win an Academy Award speaking mainly a foreign language, in this case, multiple Sicilian dialects^[2] (although he delivered a few lines in English). De Niro and Marlon Brando, who played the older Vito Corleone in the first film, are the only actors to have won Oscars portraying the same fictional character. Brando and De Niro came together onscreen for the only time in The Score (2001).

After working with Scorsese in Mean Streets, he had a successful working relationship with the director in films such as Taxi Driver (1976), New York, New York (1977), Raging Bull (1980), The King of Comedy (1983), Goodfellas (1990), Cape Fear (1991), and Casino (1995). They also acted together in Guilty by Suspicion and provided their voices for the animated feature Shark Tale.

Taxi Driver was particularly important to De Niro's career: his iconic performance as Travis Bickle shot him to stardom and forever linked De Niro's name with Bickle's famous "You talkin' to me?" monologue, which De Niro largely improvised.^[14] The role of Travis Bickle earned him his first Academy Award Nomination for Best Actor.

In 1976, De Niro appeared, along with Gérard Depardieu and Donald Sutherland, in Bernardo Bertolucci's epic biographical exploration of life in Italy before World War II, Novecento (1900), seen through the eyes of two Italian childhood friends at the opposite sides of society's hierarchy. In 1978, De Niro played Michael Vronsky in the acclaimed Vietnam War film The Deer Hunter, for which he was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

De Niro in 1988 during his New York tour

Fearing he had become typecast in mob roles, De Niro began expanding into occasional comedic roles in the mid-1980s and has had much success there as well, with such films as Brazil (1985), the hit action-comedy Midnight Run (1988), Analyze This (1999), opposite actor/comedian Billy Crystal, Meet the Parents (2000) and Meet the Fockers (2004), both opposite Ben Stiller.

Other films include Falling in Love (1984), Once Upon a Time in America (1984), The Mission (1986), Angel Heart (1987), The Untouchables (1987), Goodfellas (1990), Awakenings (1990), Heat (1995), The Fan (1996), Sleepers (1996), Wag the Dog (1997), Jackie Brown and Ronin (1998). In 1997, he re-teamed with Harvey Keitel and Ray Liotta along with Sylvester Stallone in the crime drama Cop Land. De Niro played a supporting role, taking a back seat to Stallone, Keitel, and Liotta.

In 1993, he also starred in This Boy's Life, featuring then-rising child actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire. Around this time, he was offered the role of Mitch Leary in In the Line of Fire, opposite Clint Eastwood. However, due to scheduling conflicts with A Bronx Tale, he turned the role down in favor of John Malkovich, who, himself, received an Academy Award nomination for the role. De Niro would later reference In the Line of Fire, along with Dirty Harry and Magnum Force, two more of Eastwood's films, in Righteous Kill.